Method of constructing cornices



(No Model.)

H. BERTLING.

METHOD OF GONSTRUGTING GORNIUES. N0. 383,612. Patented May29, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Genres.

HENRY BERTLING, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING CORNICES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383.612, dated May 29, 1888.

Application tiled February 13, 18%8. Serial No. 263.766. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY BERTLING, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and usefulMode of Constructing Oornices, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to those cornices which are applied to walls and ceilings for the purpose of giving a finished appearance to rooms, halls, 8m; and my improvement comprises a mode of construction which enables the cornice to be readily secured in place, while at the same time the fastenings-and joints of the same are completely concealed. To accomplish these results I make my cornice of two principal members-to wit, a backing and a facingthe backing being composed of some thin cheap material, such as wood, thick pasteboard, or a number of veneers glued to- This backing is stiffened at rear by ribs or brackets, and the latter are usually curved, so as to cause the cornice to have a concave shape when a cavetto is desired, the facing being cemented to the front of said backing. The facing is several inches wider than the backing, but is not glued over the entire face of the same, a sufficient space being left exposed along the edges of said backing .to allow the nails or screws to be inserted wherewith the cornice is fastened to the walls and ceiling. After being thus secured the free margins or flaps of the facing are glued or cemented and caused to adhere to the previouslyexposed parts of the backing, and also to the wall and ceiling. Consequently the fastenings of the cornice and the joints of the same are completely concealed by the facing,which latter may be composed of canvas or paper, or any other material that is sufficiently flexible for the purpose, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is-a perspective view of a concave backing secured to the ribs or stiffeners. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section through said backing. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the backing with the facing cemented thereto, the flaps of said facing being bent toward each other. Fig. 4

more thicknesses of veneer glued together;

but for all ordinary purposes a thin piece of wood will be sufficient. The rear of this web is first moistened, so as to cause it to bow or warp, and while in this bent condition said Web is either glued or nailed to a set of ribs or brackets. These nails, screws, or similar fastenings are shown at B, and G D E represent the ribs or brackets, the rib C being made of a single piece of wood sawed to the proper curvature,whi1e the ribD is composed of three pieces of wood glued together with their grain crossing at different angles. The other rib, E, is supposed to be made of a single piece of bent stuff. Either form of these or any other kind of rib or bracket may be used, as circumstances may suggest. Furthermore, the edges of the web are chamfered off, as at a a, to permit a close fitting of the cornice against the ceiling and walls of a room. The web being thus permanently secured in shape by attachment to the ribs, the facing F is cemented to the outer or concave surface of the backing, as seen in Fig. 3, said facing being somewhat wider than said web, and being composed of a sheet of canvas or paper or other flexible fabric. When this facing is cemented, its opposite edges are left free, thereby affording flaps ff, running the entire length of the web. If desired, the face of the sheet- F may now be painted or papered or otherwise ornamented, or it may be prepared to receive any suitable finish, after which act the cornice is secured to the ceiling G and wall H by the fastenings g h.. (Seen in Fig. 4.) Cement or other adhesive medium is now applied to the rear of the fiapsff, and the latter are at oncesecured in place, as seen in Fig. 5. Reference to this illustration shows that the flaps are sufficiently IOO the edges of the latter beingfitted up close to the edge of the facing; or the ceiling, walls, and cornice may all be painted the same color, as the thin edge of the facing cannot be dis 5. covered except by a close examination. Finally, if desired, molding-strips may be applied at either or both edges of the facing, as indicated by the dotted line I in Fig. 5, or the plastering may be grooved or channeled to 10 permit the edge of the facing being secured therein, as shown by the dotted line J in said illustration. I

I claim as my invention- The within-described method of construct- 1 ing cornices, which method consists in attaching ribs orstiffeners to the rear of a backing, to the frontof which latter a relatively-wider flexible facing is cemented, which facing has free edges or flaps, then securing the cornice in place, and finally cementing said flaps to 20 the wall, ceiling, and uncovered portions of said backing, thereby concealing the fastenings and joints, substantially as herein described, and for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in 2 5 presence of two witnesses.

HENRY BERTLING. \Vitnesses:

JAMES H. LAYuAN, SAML. S. CARPENTER. 

